


Terrified Ball of Spangles

by Kat_Greenleaf



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen, Steve can't handle the new world anymore, i'm not sure is this is what a panic attack is, if it is please let me know so i can tag properly, possible triggers, sam is a really good friend, wtf are these creatures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-07-10 06:36:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6970162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kat_Greenleaf/pseuds/Kat_Greenleaf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve has a breakdown during a battle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Terrified Ball of Spangles

**Author's Note:**

> Based off the last line of this post: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/0b/e5/80/0be58005104dbcd9a1ca1f33a7d85f23.jpg

It was too much. Too much.

The aliens were coming faster, and in greater numbers. Their weapons were unlike anything Steve had ever seen. One blast would incinerate anything it hit. It was worse than the Chitauri – at least then there was a way to keep them away from the city and to stop them coming. Steve supposed they were lucky, Thor had come to warn them about this race and they had had a few days to evacuate New York. That didn’t make it any easier, though. Not when Thor didn’t even know how to get rid of these creatures he’d warned them about.

Steve did a quick 360 and then engaged the closest alien. Thankfully, this one had dropped its weapon and was easier to take down. He grabbed the dropped weapon and ran around, shooting as many of these aliens as he could. It took nearly an hour, but he was able to destroy a street-full of these aliens. It was then that he checked up on his team.

“How are we looking, guys?”

“Widow and I are getting the stragglers,” Clint reported.

“Hulk is smashing, we’re not sure where at this exact moment,” Natasha added.

There was silence for a moment as Steve ran down the street, “Wanda?”

“I’m keeping them back as best I can,” her voice sounded strained. “Vis is helping, but they keep coming.”

“Rhodey? Tony?”

Tony replied, “In the air, Cap. We’re trying to keep them out of the sky, but Wanda is right. They just keep coming.”

“Sam?”

“Finding stragglers on the other side of town. I had to drop, my wings got hit. I’m safe, though. I got one of their weapons.”

Steve took a deep breath, “Thor?”

The Asgardian landed next to him, “I am doing the best I can, Captain. I will try to figure out a way to send them back.”

And with that, he took off again. Steve sighed and spoke into the comm once more.

“Sam, I need your backup; meet me on Third Street as soon as you can get there. Tony, try and get him the extra wing pack. It’s on top of the Tower.”

“Got it, Cap.”

“Roger that, Rogers.”

Steve rolled his eyes and started running for Third Street. There weren’t many aliens there, but Steve still found it a challenge to take them all down. When he finished, he took a moment to breathe and talk to Sam.

“Sam, you comin’?”

“I’m flying over, Cap.”

Steve looked up, and all the colour drained from his face. The aliens…

There was a wall of them. It started at the harbour and was beginning to stretch over the city.

“Tony,” Steve was breathless, “how deep is that wall?”

“I don’t think you want me to answer that question, Cap.”

“O-okay.”

Steve couldn’t tear his eyes away from the wall. It was looming closer. He could see Tony, Rhodey, and Thor trying to fend them off. But for all their efforts, nothing was happening. Steve felt like he was going to throw up, or choke, or pass out. Suddenly, his helmet strap felt like it was choking him. He ripped his helmet off and threw it to the side. But it still felt like air was catching in his chest.

This was it; they were going to lose New York.

And after New York, then what? America? The Western Hemisphere? The world?

The weapon dropped out of Steve’s hands and his shield fell off of his arm. He stumbled over to a building and tried to catch his breath. He clutched at his chest; at the star on his uniform. His breaths came out on little huffs and he couldn’t get air in. The tension was still building in his chest and he couldn’t get rid of it. He hardly registered someone calling his name. But then he did.

Sam. Sam was calling his name. Steve took a gulp of air in relief.

And then it all rushed out.

Steve screamed, loud and long. He crumpled into a ball on the pavement. As soon as one scream finished, another one started. He got about five out before his voice wouldn’t allow it anymore. He sat there, hunched over with his hands over his ears and his eyes screwed shut against the tears that threatened to spill over. The tightness in his chest caused by oxygen deprivation was gone. But now he was choking back tears.

But then there were arms around him. He jerked up… and there was Sam. He’d taken his goggles off and was looking at Steve, concerned and maybe even a little frightened.

“Steve…?”

Steve just laid his head against Sam’s chest and let the sobs take over.

The fear. The terror. The stress. The frustration. The anger.

It all washed away with his tears.

When Steve had calmed down, Sam helped him stand back up.

“Steve, you good?”

Steve nodded, “I am now.” He took a deep breath and collected his shield, helmet, and the weapon. “What’s our game plan?”

Sam put his goggled back on, “Thor thinks he has a way to fix this, but we all need to get to the top of the Tower.”

“Then let’s go.”

Sam put a hand on Steve’s shoulder, “Are you sure you won't become a terrified ball of spangles again?”

Steve chuckled, “Yeah. I just needed to get that off my chest. Come on.”

Sam smiled back and nodded. He grabbed Steve and flew them both up to the Tower.


End file.
